SOURCE: Ausaf, Ummat, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Urdu Point, Daily Jinnah, Awami Awaz, Daily Dharti, Jasarat, Kawish, Daily Intekhab, Daily Times, Jang, Ibrat, Khabrain, Roznama Dunya, Hizb Media, Al Qalam Weekly, Baad-e-Shimal, Bang-e-Sahar, Sindh Express, Pk Voices.

CHINA
1. In view of development projects initiated by China and Turkey in Pakistan, immigration staff at Punjab Airport has been asked to learn the Chinese and Turkish languages. (Jang)
UNITED STATES
1. Senior analyst Kamran Khan, speaking in a Dunya program, observed that though Donald Trump had warm telephone talk with Nawaz Sharif, the PM’s advisor, Tariq Fatemi, did not meet the US President-elect in Washington. (Roznama Dunya)
AFGHANISTAN
1. JUI (F) Chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman was not right in suggestion the recalling and re-settlement of Afghan migrants in Pakistan. (Khabrain Edit)
2. Afghan Taliban’s seven member delegation headed by Abdus Salam Hanafi has returned to Qatar from Moscow after negotiations with top Russian military and intelligence officials. Taliban has agreed to provide security to Russian engineers working on different multinational projects in Afghanistan. (Ummat)
3. Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Omar Zakhilwal called on Chief of Darul Uloom Haqqania Akora Atak and the Chief of Difa-e-Pakistan Council, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq at his residence and asked him to play active role in bringing stability in Afghanistan and negotiations with the Afghan Taliban. Maulana Sami expressed his happiness over the proposal and agreed on playing a role in the negotiations. (Roznama Dunya, Urdupoint, Jasarat)
INDIA
1.Commenting on Kuldeep Nayyar’s column titled, ‘Whether Pakistan is dividing India’ Nazir Naji remarks: the very title suggests that despite being in large majority, Hindus still fear Muslims and are worried that Pakistan will divide India. (Roznama Dunya)
2. Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz told the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that the dossier on Kulbhushan Yadav was in final stages of compilation. “Delay in its compilation will not weaken our case”, he said, adding that UN resolutions on the issue of Kashmir are sufficient and no new resolutions are needed. Foreign Secretary Ezaz Chaudhary, who also briefed the committee, stated that 45 civilians have been killed in the Line of Control violations by India. He also said that some countries do not issue visas to Pakistanis due to apprehensions of smuggling drugs. (Jinnah)
3. Commander, Southern Command Lieutenant General Amir Riaz said that India too could take benefit from the CPEC if it is ready to end its enmity with Pakistan. He urged the people of Balochistan not to fall prey to self-exiled leaders and refrain from ditching Pakistan. (Daily Pak, Jinnah)
4. Commander of Southern command Lieutenant General Riyaz is right when he said that India too can get benefit from CPEC if it stops enmity with Pakistan. But expecting any good from India is neither here nor there. India will never be a friend of Pakistan and it should be given fitting reply. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
5. Alleged Indian agent Saddam Hussain Roshan Machi who was arrested from Thatta reportedly revealed about RAW network in Pakistan. This helped to collect evidence about involvement of RAW in Mehran airbase terrorist attack. Saddam Roshan confessed that he had provided maps of Pakistan’s military bases and that RAW had begun planning of attack on the military installations in Pakistan since 1999. He was in touch with the RAW agents till 2013 and he had supplied information to RAW agents Karam Singh, Arjun Singh, Narendra and Surendra. (Ummat)
MUSHARRAF-SPEAK
1. Former President Musharraf has reiterated that the recently retired Army Chief had helped him to go out of the country. Army continues to help him even today’. How is it possible that Army forgets me and leaves me in lurch? Asked as to which major generals were asked to be removed by Nawaz Sharif, he said that he cannot tell their names as both officers have retired. ? Justice requires there is change of the PM in Pakistan. His sympathies are with Mohajirs but it should not be misconstrued as his desire to head MQM. He wants to take all the small parties along and make a grand third political force at the national level, which can give good fight to PPP and PML (N) in 2018 polls. (Awami Awaz)
2. Former President Pervez Musharraf has made an irresponsible statement when he said COAS Raheel Sharif forced the government and the judiciary to let him off the hook. He has thus made the position of the judiciary and army controversial. The government should have formed the Kargil Commission to nail Musharraf. (Jang Edit)
3. Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rashid said that the former COAS General Raheel Sharif was the one after God who saved them from President Musharraf by sending him out of the country. He added that Musharraf would make a big mistake by coming back to Pakistan because the Army will never tolerate him, for he is being tried under treason case. Rashid also claimed that former President Asif Ali Zardari too had made a deal for coming back to Pakistan from Dubai and would stay only for a week to mark the death anniversary of her wife and former premier Benazir Bhutto on 27th December. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
4. Manzoor in his article says that there is nothing revealing in whatever Musharraf has recently told the media. It is not surprising. Whatever Musharraf said has been happening in the country from day one of formation of Pakistan. It is only these Generals, no matter if they are retired, who can dare speak out these things, while the elected members in the house who take pride as the champions of democracy are busy taking revenge against the electorate for sending them to Parliament. It is not clear if Musharraf is trying to target PML (N) government or the judiciary and the establishment. Musharraf is facing serious charges. Charges of assassinations of Baloch leader Bugti and PPP leader Benazir and yet his is the sole case in Pakistan’s legal history, where the prime accused did not appear in the court even once. It was because he took shelter at his farmhouses, citing health reasons. This happens only to influential people like Musharraf. Ordinary accused in case of any ailment are shifted to government hospitals. Though law is said to be equal for all, everybody is not equal when it comes to its application. (Kawish)
5. Hamid Mir has strongly criticized former President Pervez Musharraf for alleging that Gen. Raheel Sharif had pressurized the government and judiciary to help him flee. He believes that the Pakistan Army as an institution was not involved in helping Musharraf. In 2008, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani sent Musharraf out of the country and asked him not to return, but Musharraf returned and then in 2016, Gen. Raheel Sharif sent him out of the country again but the army as an authority was not involved. As for the judiciary, the Supreme Court had left the issue to federal government to decide. Hence the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister were responsible and not the judiciary in letting Musharraf flee. Some PML-N leaders, including Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan and Senator Mushahidullah Khan as well as some Arab princes influenced PM Nawaz Sharif and he now has blamed the judiciary. If Nawaz Sharif wanted, he could have refused Gen. Raheel Sharif on this matter, as he had refused the COAS on many other demands. Gen Raheel Sharif had asked for an extension of his term along with upgrading his rank to Field Marshal, but Nawaz Sharif refused. It is to be seen whether the government will try to get Musharraf back through Interpol, as Musharraf is expected to make some more claims in order to grab media attention. (Jang)
ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. PML (N) government wants to rollback NAP, it is said. A favourable atmosphere is being created through Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, Mahmood Achakzai and other ministers. Government’s favourite channels are extending support to the effort. (Khabrain)
2. Frontier Corp’s new Inspector General Major General Nadeem Ahmed will take charge of his duties at FC HQ-Quetta today. (Roznama Dunya, Urdupoint)
3. Lt. Gen. Bilal Akbar has taken charge of his duties as Chief of General Staff at GHQ. (Jang)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM/HUMAN RIGHTS
1. Disturbing indeed is the report that a young maid servant’s hands were burned by her employer for her crime of breaking glass. This is not first such incident. Since no strict action was taken in the past, such gruesome incidents continue to occur. (Roznama Dunya-Edit)
2. Tehrik-e-Difa-e-Harmain Sharif has announced to observe Friday to express solidarity with Muslims of Syria, Burma and Kashmir. The leaders said that the Pakistani community is ever ready to protect religious places and oppressed Muslims, under the leadership of Army chief General Bajwa. They demanded that the Sindh government should repeal the new local law against conversions. (Roznama Dunya)
3. CTD-Sindh has issued a notice to Gen. (retd) Musharraf, to record his statement in the Benazir assassination case. (Jang, Roznama Dunya)
ECONOMY/POWER/WATER
1. State Bank of Pakistan reported that the ‘Current Account’ deficit this year has reached Rupees 2.60 billion. (Daily Pak)
SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. JuD sponsored Difa-e-Islam Conference resolved that India is sabotaging peace in Balochistan using its consulates in Afghanistan. Religious and political leaders, Baloch Sardars and nationalist leaders addressed the conference. Hafiz Saeed said that they did not consider the US a super power. He and other leaders blamed India of using chemical weapons. They felt that due to success of the Kashmir’s freedom movement, India will be divided into pieces. (Ausaf, Nawa-i-Waqt, Roznama Dunya)
2. Saraikistan Qaumi Council President Zahur Dharicha announced holding ‘Saraiki Ajrak Day’ on 6th March. (Khabrain)
3. Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) commander Durkhan Urf Munshi Bugti has surrendered along with his twelve companions in Dera Bugti. (Ummat, Roznama Dunya)
4. Balochistan National Party leader Hasil Bizenjo has criticised Mehmood Khan Achakzai for demanding a separate province for Afghan refugees. He also demanded that census should be put off till the three million Afghan refugees are sent back home. (Kawish, Daily Pak)
5. Senator Mir Israr Zehri, who is also Central President of Balochistan National Party (Awami), said in Quetta that his party is not against census, but wants that Afghan refugees should be kept out of census. He appealed to political parties of Balochistan not to oppose census operations. (Daily Intekhab)
6. Former Chief Minister and leader of National Party Dr. Baloch said attempts are being made to escalate religious extremism in Balochistan including Makran. Speaking in Turbat he said the liberal face of the Baloch society is being distorted in a planned manner. (Daily Intekhab)
7. Dastgir Bhatti’s says an honest police officer heading the force in Sindh was forced to go on leave. He holds the sugar mill mafia responsible for this and says it sends out a clear signal that the Sindh government is in no mood to give good governance and justice. (Sindh Express)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. The continuing tensions between the two major political parties PPP and PML (N) and the war of words between the Home Minister Nisar Chaudhary and PPP leaders do not send out a good message. Perhaps, this is the reason that Chinese minister has also laid emphasis on unity among political parties in respect of CPEC. The ruling party should keep aside its ego and try to patch up as confrontation with the opposition will only aggravate the deterioration of conditions, doing no good to the people and the country. (Ibrat Edit)
2. Munir Ahmed Baloch, says former President Zardari, who is ending his exile, made telephone call to new Army Chief. This indicates that now the coast is clear for him. (Roznama Dunya)
3. As per disclosures before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) External Affairs Ministry spent funds earmarked for the Kashmir cause on disreputable acts. (Ausaf)
4. PPP and other parties’ strategy to target Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar will backfire on them, as the government itself wants to get rid of him as he does not spare his own party in his criticism. (Roznama Dunya)
5. Zardari has summoned major PPP leaders to Dubai. Bilawal has left for Dubai and others will be leaving today. This meeting is in connection with Zardari’s return on Friday. (Awami Awaz)
6. Vengus (penname) writes: PML (N) claims that it is fighting against Musharraf but both – Sharif and Musharraf are products of dictators. Nisar Chaudhary is now settling old political scores by instituting enquiries against ‘Khanani and Kalia International Private Limited’ and says roots of these companies go back to Altaf Hussain who was totally supported and backed by Musharraf. It was Nisar Chaudhary who was behind the deal allowing Musharraf to go out of the country. A country where there is no ‘Rule of Law’ and nothing called constitution, the words like justice and democracy have no meaning. (Ibrat)
7. Over 56 nations have kept silent over Trump blaming Muslims for Berlin carnage and Indian Home Minister threat to Pakistan. Iraq has been destructed prompted by baseless allegation that its leader had chemical weapons. Islamic world should take notice that Muslim communities are being killed like carrots and radishes. Pakistan should register protest on allegation of terrorism as it has offered more sacrifices on refraining terrorism. Pakistan is adopting a soft attitude in the face of Indian conspiracy to isolate it globally. Because of this, India, Bangladesh and Iran did not attend a regional conference held in Pakistan. The PM will do well to call for joint efforts to end the terrorism, since terrorism is effecting the entire world. (Khabrain Edit)
8. Central leader Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat Shah Muhammad Owais Noorani Siddiqui said that ambitions of secular and anti-Islam forces won’t be successful. Atrocities in Kashmir and Syria continue because of criminal silence of the secular parties. (Jasarat)
9. JUI (F) Chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman said that Imran Khan is an agent of Jews and is gaining popularity using money. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
10. Corruption is as big a threat as the militancy and terrorism. If Pakistan is to be made a secure place, then not only terrorism and militancy need to be crushed but a relentless fight has to be waged against corruption too. There is no other way to save this country. Pakistan should be made corruption-free. It is upto the institutions as to how they help people in getting rid of the corrupt elements (Sindh Express Edit)
11. Sajad Buroro writes: let the outgoing Supreme Court Chief Justice have big illusions about judiciary’s independence, as he said in his farewell function organised in his honour. Neither he nor the people of Pakistan will ever see the day because whatever happens in Pakistan is at the sweet will of ‘real power wielders’ that is the establishment. Zardari or any other powerful leader has ultimately to bow before the will of these powerful men in the uniform. Defying the establishment results in big harassment even for those sitting on high seats of the judiciary. This is the reason, why people like Musharraf facing serious sedition charges can go out of the country while Sindh nationalist activists are made to pay with their lives for mere protests. Courts cannot do anything against former dictators or their favourites because government institutions, to quote the outgoing Chief Justice, are ‘inefficient and incapable to deliver better results’. (Awami Awaz)
POK/G-B NEWS
1. In a reshuffle bureaucracy, PM Sharif has appointed, Pir Bakhsh Jamali has been appointed as Secretary for Kashmir matters. (Ausaf)
2. The GB government should resolve the problems faced by local newspapers. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
3. Minister of State for Health Saira Afzal Tarar is justified in voicing concern over shortage of doctors in Gilgit-Baltistan. (Daily K2 Edit)
4. Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Jafarullah said that they had to pay bribes for approval of projects. He added that the previous regime was the best example of bad and corrupt government. (Daily K2)